Recipe: BBQ pulled pork with Southern braised collard greens and aged cheddar macaroni and cheese
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I like this dish for a lot of reasons, and so do my customers.
First, it uses one of the most affordable cuts of meat (pork shoulder) to produce the most fork-tender, flavorful meat.
Second, the by-product of cooking this dish is a rich, versatile pork stock. (Pro tip: use it as a base for a homemade soup! Something with white beans, kale and onions maybe?)
Third, as the pork is cooking, it gives off a great aroma, and will probably make everyone in your house ravenously hungry. Possibly your neighbors too. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Since this dish is somewhat time-consuming, I'd recommend doubling the recipe if you're cooking for a family. All the ingredients store well in the refrigerator after cooking, so you can enjoy leftovers for a few days.
Set yourself up for success in the kitchen with the same tools used by professional chefs. Read my article Top 5 Kitchen Tools.
Cooking time: 4-5 hours
Makes 4 portions
Tools you'll need:
Medium-sized stockpot
Medium-sized saucepan
Cutting board
Chef's knife
2 mixing bowls
Wooden spoon
Colander
Whisk
Ingredients
2 lbs pork shoulder, raw
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 bunches collard greens, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 lb dry macaroni
1 pint half and half
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp butter
1 cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded
2/3 cup BBQ sauce
kosher salt as needed
Procedure
For the pork: Slice the pork into large cubes, about 4 inches each. Place them in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Add 1 bay leaf, garlic cloves, and 4 tbsp salt. Cover and bring to a boil on the stovetop, and let simmer for 3 hours. If the liquid evaporates below the level of the meat, add more water as necessary. Remove meat from the cooking liquid and set aside, with a little of the cooking liquid to keep it moist. Reserve the cooking liquid in a separate container.
For the collard greens: In a clean stockpot, add the sliced collard greens, the sliced onions, and 2 cups of the reserved pork cooking liquid. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Salt to taste.
For the macaroni: In a clean stockpot, bring a full pot of water to a boil. Add a small handful of salt to the water. Boil the macaroni until it is fully cooked and soft, stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta in the colander and let it cool under cold running water.
For the cheese sauce: On medium heat, add the butter and the flour to the medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook for 5 minutes as it forms a paste (roux). Use the wooden spoon to stir it it so it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Add the half and half, the bay leaf, and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low, and whisk frequently as the sauce comes to a simmer. Use the whisk to scrape the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn. Sauce will thicken slightly. Add the shredded cheese, salt to taste, and set aside.
To finish: Shred the pork with your hands. It should be very tender and falling apart. In a mixing bowl, mix the meat with the BBQ sauce until it's completely coated. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix together. Serve the BBQ pork, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens together on a plate, and enjoy!
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